Erie County, NY – Erie County Clerk Chris Jacobs is sounding an alarm after seeing the County Executive’s revenue estimates for the Erie County Auto Bureau for the 2014 budget year. “I am very concerned about these estimates, they are half a million more than my office projected for the Auto Bureau in our submission to the County Executive’s budget office,” said Jacobs. “I have put my concerns in writing to Comptroller Mychajliw, who is charged with reporting to the Legislature on the validity of the County Executive’s revenue estimates.”

“The Erie County Legislature needs to know that from the moment they receive the County Executive’s proposed 2014 budget that it is out of balance more than $550,000 because there is no way the Auto Bureau will hit the revenue amount the County Executive has put in his budget,” stated Jacobs.

Jacobs explained that he decreased his revenue projections for 2014 because of the cyclical nature of driver’s license renewals. Driver’s licenses are now good for 8 years and the renewal cycle is at its lowest point in 2014 and 2015. “This is something we can accurately predict,” said Jacobs. He pointed out that 2011 was a high point with nearly 160,000 Erie County drivers needing to renew their licenses, 2013 will be approximately 100,000 renewals, but in 2014 the renewal number will be at nearly the lowest point of the 8-year renewal cycle with only 34,000 drivers renewing. “This translates into Erie County taking in approximately $550,000 less money on renewals in 2014 as compared to 2013,” said Jacobs.

“We take our role as a revenue source for the County very seriously but it does no good, in fact it does harm, when people are unrealistic with their revenue projections,” added Jacobs.